Tibetans mourn demise of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe

CTA President Penpa Tsering addresses officials and staff of the CTA after the mass prayer service to mourn the tragic demise of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Image: Tenzin Phende| CTA.

DHARAMSALA, 12 July: The Central Tibetan Administration(CTA) has held a mass prayer service to condole the demise of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was fatally shot during a campaign speech in western Japan on Friday.

The President of the CTA Penpa Tsering has said that “the Tibetan leadership and the Tibetan people strongly feel the loss of a great leader who was also a long-standing friend of Tibet.”

“With profound gratitude and obeisance, the Tibetan administration and the Tibetans will eternally remember his notable contribution and support to the Tibetan cause, particularly his active involvement in establishing the All Party Japanese Parliamentary Support Group of Tibet, comprising one of the largest Tibet supporters, ” President Tsering said, reports www.tibet.net, the CTA’s official website.

The political head of the Tibetan people has further “acknowledged in gratitude the courageous and unflinching stand of the late Shinzo Abe against China’s repression in Tibet.”

As a mark of condolence and respect for the tragic and untimely demise of Japan’s former Prime Minister, the offices of the CTA remained closed following the mass prayer service at Sikyong Hall at the Central Tibetan Secretariat here in Dharamsala on Monday.

The exiled Tibetan leadership, including the Tibetan spiritual leader as well as both the President and the Speaker of the CTA, have all expressed their condolences and solidarity after Abe was fatally shot on Friday morning in the city of Nara during his campaign speech by Tetsuya Yamagami, 41.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *